


Things I've come to love about you

by ShiDreamin



Category: Love Live! School Idol Festival (Video Game), Love Live! School Idol Project
Genre: 5+1 Things, F/F, Friends to Lovers, SchoolIdolFestival Digital Secret Santa, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-20
Updated: 2019-06-11
Packaged: 2019-09-23 09:07:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17077415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShiDreamin/pseuds/ShiDreamin
Summary: 5+1 moments in muse that have brought Rin and Maki closer together.





	1. Mystery

**Author's Note:**

> A Secret Santa ficlet. Never wrote for Love Live before, but I've loved this fandom and it's delightful characters for a long time now. I hope everyone remains in character.

                Rin knows nothing about the redhead beauty who stands in front of her other than the few scarce rumors trailing the hallways about the supposed princess. Maki Nishikino is a rich, beautiful and elegant girl who brings with her a history of studies, hard-working ethics and a stylish string of connections. She’s supposed to be cold, just enough to entice an air of mystery.

                Rin doesn’t find her all that mysterious.

                The moment Maki acknowledges Hanayo is all there is to realize that Maki isn’t just an ice-cold princess—she cares, a lot really. Maki is a smart beauty, but she also loves music and gets lost in the music. Her compassion and spirit flows into her songs, and with every replay it shows.

                Maki isn’t much of a mystery, and yet, Rin wants to know more.


	2. Gratitude

                Maki isn’t sure what to expect when she joins an idol club, but it’s certainly not gasping for breath at the bottom of a shrine staircase. Sweat pools at the base of her neck as she adjusts her hat, barely managing another glance up the stair as Umi calls for another round of running. They’ve completed at least twenty or so laps, and though she manages better than Hanayo she’s certainly nowhere near first.

                First goes to Rin, the sunny fellow first year with orange hair and a smile that almost resembles a cats. She’s been chanting encouragements to Hanayo the whole time, slowing down every so often in her laps to pull her friend another step. She’s completed the full thirty laps and then some, occasionally throwing in a jump or high kick just for… style? Maki isn’t sure, but she isn’t above admitting a twinge of jealousy at the ease Rin has with throwing herself into dance.

                Hanayo is having a much worse time, stumbling ahead of Maki but at the very least three laps behind. Her shoelaces bounce against stairs, clicking softly with every tired step she takes. Right when they hit midway, Hanayo slows to bend over the railing, heaving and sweating, exhaustion weighing down her running form. It’s hard to feel another other than pity when Hanayo raises her head and takes another step, shaky legs forcing out another half a lap. Right as Maki prepares herself to pass Hanayo yet again, she reaches out an arm.

                “Good job, keep it up,” she praises, and the sunny smile that spreads over Hanayo’s face as she speeds up, overtaking Maki again, is worth the awkward feeling that passes through Maki. Still, Hanayo faces the next five laps with renewed enthusiasm, and it pleases Maki to see it. It does no one any good to push their body this hard, but she can’t help but be enthused by Hanayo’s dedication.

                When she finally manages her thirtieth lap, wringing the sweat-soaked fabric of her shirt at the top of the stairs, she can’t help but notice Rin glancing over. With a wary wave of her hand, Rin’s lips spread into a wide smile, enthusiastically waving back. She points at Hanayo, imitates her stumbling running form only to break out into a fast skip-dance move, and then gives two dramatic thumbs ups at Maki.

                “Thank you!” She mouths, gratitude pouring off her form, and Maki can’t help but feel that it’s unnecessary. It’s not up to her how hard Hanayo works.

                Still, she can’t help the little extra bounce in her step the rest of practice.


	3. Differences

                Rin loves the adorable design drafts the Kotori and Nico almost seem to design out of nothing. Fluffy round skirts, pretty white lace, pearl and bead details… the cute details jump off every page. She hums, shifting through the concepts as Umi complains about the shamelessness of the skirt length and Hanayo speaks with Nico about whether or not Shion Girls Academy’s idol uniforms were an inspiration for this song. Maki praises Kotori on the right mood just when Rin stumbles across her outfit.

                It’s an adorable costume with cat ears and a lacy blouse under a blue vest, adorned with black bow details. The back design of the vest reveals a tail that manages to combine elegant with cute. Kotori really outdid the design on it, but…

                Rin can’t help but stare at the fluffy striped skirt drawn onto the design. It’s wide, as though held up by a very fluffy petticoat, and she can’t help but think of how high it would hit, barely floating over her thighs. Suddenly Umi’s complaints ring through her ears, and she imagines it—her thicker, muscular thighs, staring out under the frilly lacy skirt. She steals a glance at Honoka, legs crossed on her chair as she speaks with Kotori and Hanayo about solos. None of their legs are visibly muscular, instead just thick enough, just pretty enough.

                “What’s wrong?” Rin jumps at the words, managing a hasty jerk to attention to Maki’s frowning face. The redhead twirls a finger in her hair, seeming almost irritated at how quickly Rin stumbled to attention. “You’ve been staring at your design,” she mumbles.

                “Ah,” Rin stutters, but nothing comes to mind. There isn’t much to say that she doesn’t want to, and then she’s stuck just locking eyes with Maki. A moment passes, then two, and Maki turns away, fingers catching more hair as she does. Rin takes the moment to stare at her legs, and isn’t surprised with what she finds.

                “Your legs are beautiful,” Rin says instead of answering. Maki jerks, letting loose her hair to turn back to Rin, one eyebrow raised, successfully distracted. But Rin’s stuck on her thighs, slim and pale and beautiful under their school uniform. Rin wears her skirt hiked high because it makes it easier to run around; Maki seems to wear her skirt high just because she can.

                “It’s not like yours aren’t!” Maki barely manages to regain her bearings enough to not shout, though Honoka catches her gaze with a look of concern. With a glance between the two, she returns to capturing Kotori and Hanayo’s attention.

                “They’re different.” Rin’s heavily tempted to say the truth (they aren’t, they’re big and muscular and as much as she loves sports sometimes she wishes she could just sit down and be the perfect little girl that didn’t have half as much energy), but Maki looks like she doesn’t want to hear it. Instead, she palms the paper in her hands, staring at the skirt. It’s adorable, really, a bright yellow with thin orange stripes and lined with white lace and fluffy tulle. She loves it, just, not on her.

                “I don’t want to wear a skirt,” she says instead, casting down the paper. Maki isn’t impressed, crossing her arms as Rin scribbles the note on the paper. She doodles cat motifs on the top and points out little details like the gloves, and if lace on the neck is too lacy, and what kind of shoes should she buy. It isn’t until the pen is capped that Maki speaks again.

                “What’s wrong with being different?” Maki says it so softly, almost as though she’s asking to be told wrong. There’s nothing Rin wants to say to that. It’s with a slightly annoyed huff that she gives Maki her design, as sweet and girlish as Rin wishes she could wear. Pink with black and white lace, all put together in a cute ensemble.

                Rin caps her pens and smiles. There’s nothing to say about that.


	4. Star

                It’s Umi’s idea—camping as a group, together under the star lit sky. Maki shares a tent with Nico and Eli, all under the name of drafting music. Eli has a fantastic voice and Nico brings with her the knowledge of a true idol fan, and yet, their work is slow. Clumsy. It is too many fingers, too many minds, and Maki finds herself erasing and penning and swiping away worn scraps of paper to produce something new. Some worthy, for the girls who have given her everything.

                Now in the quiet of the night, Maki feels enchantingly inspired by the night sky.

                It was discouraged to leave their tents—Nico had made a loud fuss about bugs and wild animals and something in particular about a thieving squirrel. It was difficult to focus on the words when Nico looked like she had fallen down a mountain and climbed back up for dinner. Still, a sliver of moonlight had found its way peering into the tent, and Maki had found herself lured out.

                The music comes easier. She thinks of Nico’s exasperation, the way she described what idol music must have. A place to dance. An easy beat for fans to allow. Most importantly, a solo part for every member, because everyone deserved a chance to shine. Eli had a similar thought process regarding teamwork, but her words were more beautiful. Maki thinks of a single elegant knight, back lit up with the moon, standing in the center of stars. There would be a trail of lace falling from her shoulder, flowers in her hair. She sees pale pink lips and glossy eyes, and gold braid trims.

                It’s the chorus that stumps her. Pop was never her forte: high-energy, simple, and easy to catch onto. It is everything that she isn’t.

                The night sky brings with it calm and reassurance, gentle breeze playing with her red locks. Maki draws in bars and bars of rests, waiting for inspiration to strike.

                “Maki?”

                Maki jerks, her head bobbing upward. She hastily wipes the little trail of drool peaking from the side of her lips, glancing side to side to place the voice. It’s late, awfully so, and she should really be getting back to bed.

                “Maki, should you be awake?” It must be anticipation and fear that tugs at her heart so, because there is no other way to explain the wideness that Maki’s eyes take upon. In the shadow of the moon and the light of the stars, Rin sits looking down at her. But her hair is delightfully pushed back, and she’s sloped upward like a praying goddess. Maki sees her then, in a fairy light dress with a crescent of lilies, framing orange locks around her face. She thinks the knight and the princess, and wonders if they could be one.

                “Maki?” Concern permeates Rin’s tone, and she stands. Her pajamas are simple, nothing more than a simple tee and shorts. But Maki sees purples and reds and whites, sees silver and gold and layers of jewels dripping from her neck. Maki sees the trail of a skirt, drapery embroidered green and pink and yellow, and sees the crown interwoven with flowers.

                Against the starry sky, Rin shines the brightest.

                Maki’s mouth dries. The words come now, with fluidity and ease and wonder. She sees an entire rainbow of colors cast against her friends, and the world glimmers with new clarity. There, in the center, sits a princess knight.

                “Rin,” Maki breathes. It’s hard to form any other words against the vivid imagery crashing her mind, and Rin grants her the mercy of sitting back down. Still, she sees the shadow of worry flicker across Rin’s face.

                “Thank you,” Maki says instead, and wonders if it would be right to dedicate a song to the very moment Rin smiles back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm LITERALLY TRASH   
> im so sorry that this fic has been so sorely neglected for?? half a year wow yeesh what am i doing  
> It's definitely going to be completed, I had a really awful semester and mental health went downhill, but that's literally no excuse for leaving a gift fic in particular abandoned. I no longer have all of the original word doc because i have since switched computers, but I do have this chapterand the next. I will write a new conclusoin but i haven't written fanfic in half a year, so bare with me if the style of writing bounces around.


	5. New

Rin can’t do this.

                This is so new—white layers of lace and fabric sloping over the dress form, chiffon delicately puffed off the shoulder to expose the collarbone. A plastic place-holder flower bouquet is tied around a microphone. Tulle flowers dot down the bodice and the gathered skirt, decorating the draping glittery fabric that comes to a perfect bell shape ruffle. There’s a gigantic bow at the back tied together with ties from the waist, made for cinching the dress in to anyone’s waist. At the moment it’s tied to one specific waist measurement: her own.

                “I can’t do this!” She blurts out, glancing side to side to see absolutely no mercy on anyone’s face. Even Hanayo can’t manage anything but joyous excitement at the thought of Rin in the dress. “It doesn’t suit me! I won’t—I’ll look terrible!”

                “No you won’t!” is her resounding chorus of responses, and she loves them, really, but it’s not what she needs. When even Nico gives Rin an approving nod before shoving her a white veil, Rin barely manages to hold in a scream. Can’t they see that Hanayo should be the one in the dress? Or Nico, or Eli, or Nozomi, or literally anyone else? She manages to tear her eyes away from the form to meet Maki’s amused ones, and can’t help the bubbling feeling in her chest.

                “Maki! Maki would look amazing in a wedding dress!” Rin shouts, pointing at the redhead. A startled expression crosses over Maki’s face, quickly replaced with a cool one, though there is now a distinct pinking at the base of her ears.

                “Thanks,” she manages dryly, much to the amused chuckles from Eli and Nozomi, “but this is for you.” Rin opens her mouth to say something, anything, but then Nico is shoving a curtain between them and cutting off any attempt at negotiation.

                “Just put it on!” Nico shouts, and Rin manages to slip out a resigned sign. She waits for the telltale sign of them stepping out the door, one by two by four, and then the door slips shut. Finally, alone, she slides off her clothes article by article, managing a mix of anxiety and hope in her chest. The tulle under the waist itches and the fabric crinkles on the space where larger breasts would fit. There’s an empty space around her legs were her pant legs would fall, and the emptiness squeezes tight at her throat.

                It doesn’t fit. The gloves are tight around her wrists, and the skirt feels ginormous, overwhelming. She thinks a step forward would kill her, leaving her tumbling out onto the floor with any pants as protection. It is a little mercy that the hairpiece is still outside, clipped to the mannequin meant for Honoka. It should have been hers—it would be better, that way.

                “Aren’t you done?” The curtains are drawn without mercy and Rin squeaks, slapping her hands to her chest as though a feeble attempt to push the fabric closer. Maki stands there, impossibly close for the volume of Rin’s skirt, hairpiece in hand. It seems even more extravagant in her hands, all yellow roses laid flat over a flowing veil, lace and glitter and crystals sparkling.

                “I was going to come out,” Rin manages, her voice woozy and weak. Maki is close, so close, and her back feels pressed against the wall. It’s the skirt, the tulle, the puffiness, but then Maki raises her hands and pulls back Rin’s hair and _oh_ , no, Maki really is that close. Their noses could touch, like this, but Maki isn’t looking at her. Not at the wrinkled fabric, not at the awkward pose her hands are caught in, pressed tight between their bodies against the bodice. Maki simply combs her fingers through Rin’s hair, and her breath catches. Then she recedes.

                “There,” Maki murmurs. Her cheeks are flushed and her breathes labored. Rin supposes it really is hot in here, what with the changing room being closed in with curtains and walls and the summer months looming in.  But then Maki is looking at Rin, eyes drawing up and down, and Rin doesn’t quite manage to squish down the nervous panging that threatens to overcome her.

                “It doesn’t fit me.”

                The words betray her first, but then Maki is looking at her, really looking, and Rin knows her eyes are wide and guilty. She swallows down the urge to run out, because the dress really is beautiful. It’s just not hers. It wasn’t meant to be.

                “I like it,” Maki says, and she tumbles over the words like they’re meant to be something else. Her eyebrows knit together and she moves in close again, and then Rin’s hands are pried from her chest into Maki’s awaiting ones. “You look beautiful.” The dress is, and Rin wants to protest the movement. Maki is a step ahead, backing off to drag Rin closer to the edge of the curtain. Behind it, she knows there waits the lion’s den. Four prettier girls than her, better suited for this. It is only stupid luck that the prettiest would deliver her flowers.

                “I don’t,” she whispers, and the words fall flat to her own ears. It’s the hand holding, and the smile Maki manages in the shadow behind the curtain. Rin can see behind it, Nico and Nozomi pointing out the little details they could do for the show, Eli and Hanayo discussing practice. She focuses instead on Maki, slowly leading her out.

                “You should,” Maki promises, and then the curtains are fully drawn and conversation stops. The dress must have gotten tighter, because Rin feels her air leave her at once as her chest squeezes tight. Anxiety and anticipation grasp at her, kept afloat only by Maki’s hand in hers.

                “Oh my gosh!”

                “Rin, you look fantastic!”

                “That! Perfect! Nico knew you’d be amazing!”

                The words crash into her with a passion, and then she’s crying, really, truly crying, tears welling up and ruining the beautiful dress on her body. She feels wrong like this, too small and big for the picture, and then they’re crowding around her, concern overwhelming. Between them, Maki lets go of her hand, and with it Rin is stuck at sea, her lifeboat afloat somewhere else.

                But then Maki is back within a moment, grasping her wrist even more firmly and tugging. She must have gotten stronger with training, must have done something, because Rin follows her movement with ease. She stumbles to her tip toes, and Maki presents her to a mirror.

                And she looks… okay.

                Red eyes and red nose. But the dress isn’t quite as tight around the waist as she had thought, and her breasts aren’t huge but they don’t really have to be, do they? Maki’s still there, waiting, but she’s smiling at Rin and then they’re all there, Nico and Nozomi and Eli and Hanayo, always Hanayo, stepping closer to take her open hand.

                “Rin,” Hanayo promises, she always does, “you look beautiful.” Hanayo doesn’t lie, and Rin knows that, knows that since she was four and counting, but it’s so hard to let the thoughts go. She nods and smiles in a way that doesn’t reach her eyes, and then there’s Maki, and arms around her waist.

                “I told you.” It’s absurdly smug for worried expression that pulls at Maki’s face, and Rin finds herself laughing at the contrast. And then she’s really laughing, hard and heavy, and feeling stupid in all the right ways. Maki doesn’t lie either, and thinking of her friends, all of them who have pushed her here, she knows that they wouldn’t lie about this either.

                The dress still doesn’t fit quite right, but that’s what try-ons are for. To make it a little better.

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this as a gift to /u/Levianne as part of SIF subreddit's digital secret santa! I had a long time deciding what to write, but RinMaki felt the best to me. It will be updated everyday until Christmas with the next part. I hope you like it! :)


End file.
